The Bike Indicators From Dragons’ Den: WingLights Pop Review

by Pete Reynolds ·
Published June 22, 2018 · Updated November 14, 2018

For me, one of the greatest challenge when riding a bike is signalling while turning. I always feel a bit unsteady if I’ve got one hand pointing at where I want to go, while the other tries to navigate me there.

As with any problem, an innovative so-and-so will likely pop-up and create a product to solve the issue And that’s exactly what happened here, with CYCL coming up with the idea of the WingLights Pop – essentially two small flashing lights that can be added to the side of your handlebars extremely easily, which can be turned on and off in an instant simply by tapping the end of the light to trigger the bright flashing bike indicator lights.

Bike Indicators on Dragons’ Den

Seem familiar? If you’re a fan of BBC’s Dragons’ Den, you may have seen the WingLights Pop before – as founders Luca Amaduzzi and Agostino Stilli asked for £45,000 for 15% of the business and eventually got investment from Nick Jenkins for 12.5% in 2017.

Do Bicycle Indicators Work?

The big question is, do bicycle indicators work?

Well, they’re certainly a good aid, but relying on them INSTEAD of hand signals isn’t recommended.

The big benefit of the WingLights is that they can increase visibility when turning at night, with the bright yellow coloured lights flashing once pressed. They are also extremely easy to use and aren’t fiddly at all. Just tap the end of the light once and the bicycle indicator for that side will begin flashing until you press it again. Easy peasy. You could also leave both lights flashing during your ride if you really want to boost visibility too.

Heck, you could even turn on both lights – and park your bike illegally. Because if you turn on your hazards you’re allowed to park anywhere – right?

One concern of the WingLights (as raised on Dragons’ Den) was that they won’t be seen by people behind the cyclist as their body will be in the way. This is true at some angles, but not always. However, I’d certainly recommend bicycle indicators should be used in tandem with hand signals for maximum safety, and not on their own.

Why Use LED Bike Indicator Lights?

So, if these wireless bike indicator lights still should be used in tandem with hand signals, what’s the point of them?

Well, while they’re not a replacement for your hands, they certainly help increase your visibility and others’ awareness of you. Your bicycle indicators effectively enhance your signal, especially at night.

The CYCL WingLights Pop are extremely easy to fit and are suitable for straight (flat) handlebars with curvature of up to 30˚ – however they do not fit drop bars, bullhorn handlebars or cruiser bars. The WingLights fit into the end of handlebars with a diameter between 14.9mm and 22.0mm.

The WingLights are also extremely light, weighing in at just 59g for the pair and are completely weatherproof. These bicycle indicators are also run on four CR2032 batteries which typically last around six months, with the batteries easily replaced.

How much will these LED bike indicators set you back? Well, they’re available for a pretty reasonable £19.99 from KitRadar – making them a useful purchase especially for those who typically cycle around traffic at night.